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(No Model.)

J. F. MGCONNBLLXE H. E. HARBSTBR.

ICE CRI-IEPER.

N0. 344,666. Patented June 29, 1886.

5ft/wam komaf Ji? Lie/@f Con/M UNITED STATES Parham* @Tirion JOSEPH F. MCCONNELL AND HOWARD E. HARBSTER, OF READING, PA.

lCE-CREEPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 344,666, dated June 2.9, 1886.

Application filed November 25, i885. `Serial No.183,990. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JosnrH F. McCon- NELL and-HOWARD E. HARBsTEa, citizens of the United States', residing at the city of Reading, county of Berks, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful improvement in IcevOrcepers, of which the following is a specification.

This improvement relates more particularly to the class of ice-creepers removably ad j nstable to the heel of the boot or shoe.

rlhe object of the invention is to provide an ice-Creeper that is readily adjusted to the heels of boots and shoes over a widel range of sizes,

yet light, strong, and effective, and once adjusted to the heels of the wearers boots or shoes it will thereafter be the Work of a moment only to put on or take off the same.

The objection to all ice-creepers permanently secured to the boot or shoe is, that additional weight is constantly carried around, and that even those having good memories forget at times to turn back the calks, to the great injury of the floors or carpets walked over.

The accompanying drawings, forming a part of this speciiication, very fully disclose the construction of our improved ice-Creeper, in which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts throughout.

Figure 1 represents in perspective our improved ice-creeper applied to the heel of a boot or shoe, the pivoted thumbscrew lying out of the way upon the sole. Fig. 2 is a plan of the improvement, showing the pivoted thumbsorew in the position in which it is used to open or close the Creeper upon the heel. Fig. 3 is a front elevation, looking toward the inner face of the reversed heel, the thumb-screw removed. Fig. 4 represents in elevation and plan one-half of the erceper. Fig. 5 represents the completing half of the Creeper in elevation and plan; Fig 6, a view ofthe adjusting thumb-screw and its pivoted lever. t t

In the drawings, A represents the heelof a boot or shoe; A', a portion of the sole oi' the same.

The creeperis composed, essentially, of two portions, D and E, which are adapted to slide upon and within each other, as will be clearly shown when we come to describe the creeper in detail. The left-hand piece, D, in the drawings, which in this case we will distinguish as the abutment-piece, is provided with a rightangle clamping-arm, D', which, when the piece D is laid against the inner face of the heel, as shown, grasps the outer face of the same. Pricks D, upon the inner face ofthe arm, on pressure being applied, sink into the heel and prevent movement of the piece D. An ear, D2, is arranged in front of the piece, which, when the creeper is closed to its minimum size, will meet the ear E2 of its corresponding piece, E, nearly at the center of the creeper. The height of the creeper we prefer to make about one-half inch, which adapts it to the average height of the heels worn. The height is divided centrally into two parts, forming arms D3 and E, as shown, the arm D3 passing under the ear Ez and into a recess, E5, provided for it in the movable piece E, while the arm Es at the same time passes under the ear D2 and into a recess, D5, provided for it in the abutment D. The piece E has an arm, E', and priekers E", corresponding with those of D. rlhe ear D2 is threaded, while the ear EZ of the movable piece is enlarged in the bore, to pass freely over the screw F, the thread of which is constructed with a quick pitch. The screw is pivoted at F to a bifurcated jaw, G', of the lever G. The pieces D and Eare thickened up at those points to admit of the recesses D and E5 being sunk therein. and the arms D:j and E are also reduced in thickness as far as they slide, respectively, under the ears D`l E2, which span said recesses. The calk-pla-tes B B', provided with calks C C', lie upon the top edges of the pieces D E on the piece E, forming a cover to the recess FJ", while the recess D5 is capped from below, as shown, by a retention of part of the height of the creeper below the same.

Thepieces D E may be cast of any suitable metal. We prefer to have them cast of steel, all the parts enumerated of each piece being cast integral with the same, thus the only fitting required after leaving the tumbler being the drilling of the plain hole in the ear EZ and the drilling and tapping of the ear D2, with the tting up of the thumb-screw F and its lever G.

The Creepers are constructed in pairs, as right and left, so as to bring the lever G into a convenient position to operate upon either IOC foot. The bifurcated jaw of G is slightly truncated, so that when the lever is turned upon its pivot F' against the ear Ez it will positively lock itself against anyA automatic release from its turned-down position upon the sole of the boot or shoe. For ladiesshoes, where the heels are higher, the lever G will loe shortened and raised in a vertical position against the sole.

WTe are aware that we are not the first to pro- .vide a sliding adjustable clamping icc-creep er to the heel of a boot or shoe, (see Patent No. 313,898, March 17, 1885, John Temple,) in which the creeper rests upon the faceofthe heel, and is composed of a right and left piece, each having two heel-clamps, an ear, and guidingarm, with two calks to each piece, the clamping-screw being sharppointed at one end and squared for a key at the opposite end, the Creeper being arranged for attachment to the heel at right angles with it-s normal position, to act as a spur when riding horseback. A Creeper requiring considerable machine-work to tit, raises the heels to an awkward height above ground and requires a loose key, liable to be mislaid or lost when the Creepers are to be used, whereas our Creeper costs but a trifle to t up, the parts always ready to be opened or closed, as desired, and applied, as it is, to the inside face of the heel, attracts no attelltion, while the calli-plates rest upon the heel and give a solid bearing, but do not raise the calks to an awkward height above the same.

To apply the Creeper, the foot is raised sole upward, and the abuttingpieceheld against. the side and inner face of the heel with the clamp-arm E2 clear of the opposite side of the saine. The screw F is then turned until the bifurcated jaw contacts with the ear E?, then as the screw advances in the thread of the ear D'l the movable piece E is drawn toward the abutment-piece D, forcing the prickers D4 E* into the leather, and solidly clamping the heel between the two arms D E, and the creeper is releasably retained in place by throwing the arm or lever G over against the sole ot' the shoe, as shown in Fig. 1. After the creeper has been applied to a boot or shoe subsequent applications or release of the same willonly require a partial turn of the quick-pitch screw F to produce the desired result.

Having shown the construction, use, and advantages of our improved ice-Creeper, we desire to claim as follows:

1. As an improved construction ofice-creepers, the partsD E. provided. respectively, with clamping-arms D E', having prickers D1 E4, sliding arms D E3, recesses D E5, calk-platcs B B',- calks C C, and clamping-ears D'l E2, each piece D or E cast or formed as an integral Whole and adapted to slide freely upon and interlock adjustablywith each other within the recesses D5 E", in combination with the clampingscrew F in the ears D2 E2, substantially as shown, described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. In the within-described ice Creeper, the

combination, with the sliding members, of the clamping-screw F, pivoted at F to a bitu rcated jaw, G', of a lever, G, said bifurcated jaw truncated, substantially as shown, and for the purpose specified.

' JOSEPH F. MGCONNELL. HOWARD E.'HARBSTER.- Witnesses:

JAMES R. KENNEY, D. B. CLACK. 

